Read More

Dublin struggled a little with their range in the first quarter and dropped three balls short while Ciaran Kilkenny hit the post.

Connor McAliskey also hit the woodwork with a ‘45 and soon after, Jack McCaffrey got on the end of a patient Dublin move to split the posts in front of the ‘mini Hill 16’, with the away fans setting up camp behind the Gortin Road goals.

Tyrone were mixing some great tackles to force turnovers with some wasteful kick-passes and Michael McKernan and Padraig Hampsey gave away cheap ball.

Dublin were more consistent, more controlled.

Tiernan McCann levelled the scores for a third time, shrugging off Paul Mannion to cut inside on his right foot.

But from there, the All-Ireland champions opened up the first meaningful gap with three points in a row.

Brian Howard followed up his cracking game against Donegal by turning in another superb first-half and points from him, Philly McMahon and Rock stretched them clear.

In between, Tyrone fluffed a big chance when Richie Donnelly won a

brilliant Niall Morgan kickout and lobbed the ball over the top of Dublin’s defence.

Stephen Cluxton was slow off his line but McShane was caught for pace as Paul Mannion won a crucial turnover back in his fullback line.

When Rock hit a free wide, ref David Coldrick spotted a Tyrone defender encroaching and allowed him to take it again. Rock made no mistake second time around.

The game could have got away from the Red Hand men in the closing stages of the first half but Frank Burns and Michael McKernan came up from the back and unleashed two superb scores to lift the crowd.

The first chants of ‘Tyrone, Tyrone’ started up but again, Dublin stayed cool and John Small swung one over with his left foot to put the visitos 0-7 to 0-5 up at the break.

The second half didn’t fizz along at the same rate of knots but Dublin were in control of it from the minute James McCarthy found the net after 40 minutes.

He steamed through the middle, played a one-two with Fenton, and drilled a low shot at Morgan. The ‘keeper saved the first effort but the rebound fell to McCarthy as he fell and he palmed it into the net.

That put the Dubs 1-8 to 0-6 ahead and they kept a firm grip on things in the third quarter – without ever quite putting Tyrone away.

Cathal McShane and McAliskey kept Mickey Harte’s men just about in it but Kevin McManamon’s fresh legs off the bench made a difference and he scored a point and won a few frees.

They led 1-11 to 0-8 after 59 minutes but Tyrone rallied, with subs Mark Bradley, Harry Loughran and Kieran McGeary scoring to keep it interesting.

McShane and then a superb battling point from McGeary left two points in it, but Dublin saw it out with Paul Flynn’s late late point sending Jim Gavin’s side home with an All-Ireland semi-final berth secured.

Don’t miss this weekend’s GAA action – sign up to Sky Sports and get 6 months half price here , or try a NOW TV Sports Month Pass here , now just €20 a month – usually €50!